歌うた人びと

noun

tanka poet; skilled tanka poet

Specifically refers to a poet who composes tanka (短歌), a traditional 31-syllable Japanese poem. Implies a certain level of skill or dedication.

See also: 短歌 · 歌人 (かじん)

• 彼かの女じょは現げん代だいを代だい表ひょうする歌うた人びととして知しられている。

  She is known as a leading tanka poet of our time.

• 祖そ父ふは若わかい頃ころから歌うた人びととして活かつ動どうしていた。

  My grandfather had been active as a tanka poet since he was young.

noun

court poetry official (ritsuryō)

Historical term for an official responsible for court poetry and music under the ritsuryō system. Not used in modern contexts.

• 律りつ令りょう制せい下かでは、歌うた人びとは宮きゅう中ちゅうで詩歌しいかや音おん楽がくを司つかさどる役やく職しょくだった。

  Under the ritsuryō system, the utabito was a position in charge of poetry and music at court.

noun

poet (general)

A broader, less common meaning of 歌人, simply 'poet'. Usually, 詩人 (しじん) is the standard word for poet in modern Japanese. This sense may appear in older or literary contexts.

• 古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、歌うた人びとが単たんに詩し人じんを指さすこともある。

  In old texts, 歌人 can sometimes simply mean 'poet'.